Region/state digest 05/03/03

Part of Route A to be closed for railroad repairs

Route A west of Dutchtown will be closed to traffic today for railroad crossing repairs, Missouri Department of Transportation officials said.

The road will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. until evening. Additional work is planned on Monday and traffic will be restricted to one lane, MoDOT officials said.

Pancake breakfast to raise money for air show

The Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival Planning Committee will host a pancake breakfast "fly-in, drive-in and ride-in" today to raise money for the air festival, scheduled for July 11-13.

The breakfast will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., organizers said.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children, ages 3 to 15.

The Southeast Missouri Modelers Association will hold air shows involving radio-controlled planes at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon.

Car, motorcycle and airplane clubs will have displays. Free airplane rides will be offered to children, ages 8 to 18, organizers said.

Man gets 15 years in prison for manslaughter

OZARK, Mo. -- A Christian County judge sentenced a man to 15 years in prison on Friday in the shooting death of his ex-wife.

A jury convicted Douglas Dale of voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in March in the death of Jodie McAllister.

McAllister, 30, was fatally shot in August 2001 at the home she and Dale continued to share in Ozark after their divorce.

Christian County Prosecutor Ron Cleek had sought a first-degree murder conviction.

Judge James Eiffert sentenced Dale to concurrent sentences of 15 years for voluntary manslaughter and 10 years for armed criminal action.

-- From staff, wire reports